Lyme disease forecast

[Offshore]

You'e be better off getting your clothes permethrin treated. I had mine professionally done by insectshield.com and have not had a single tick bite while wearing them, which is impressive since I tend to immerse myself in tick habitat while bushwacking and hunting.

As for carrying antibiotic, it's less useful to just carry it with you than you may think. Only a small percentage of lyme transmissions produce a bullseye, so seeing a doctor to diagnose is a better option. Additionally the antibiotic, doxycycline, is nasty stuff and had a number of side effects such as sunlight sensitivity and heavy nausea which make it very unpleasant to take while on the trail, I can confirm this from my own experience.

+1 on treating clothing with permethrin. I buy pretreated but have sent some existing items to InsectShield. As far as carrying an antibiotic, it's actually a good idea as a means of preventing post-bite infection. There are a few studies that have been around for a while that have shown that a single 200 mg dose of doxycycline taken after a tick bite is very effective in preventing Lyme disease. I spoke with my doctor a few years ago and he wrote a prescription for 200 mg which I keep in my first aid kit. I get a new RX with each annual physical so I have always have a fresh dose. I haven't had to use it, though. The treated clothing has done a good job in keeping ticks off.

My approach is to avoid ticks to prevent bites by using permethrin treated clothing as a first line of defense and carry the doxycycline as my second line of infection prevention in case I discover an attached tick.

A reference for the doxy study is Nadelman RB, et al. Prophylaxis with single-dose doxycycline for the preventionof Lyme disease after an ixodes scapularis tick bite. New England Journal of Medicine. 2001: 345(2);79-84.

[Braveheart_SOBO13]

I found this article super helpful for treating your clothes. http://sectionhiker.com/treating-you...th-permethrin/

[TTT]

I've had Lyme disease, or tick bite fever, twice. The second time wasn't as bad as the first. I recall the mother of all headaches accompanied by a fever. The first time I was nailed in the groin area, and the second under my arm.

[Dogwood]

Tick check. I'll search you first. Then, you can search me. Wait, I missed one of your spots. And, you missed one of my spots.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Tick check. I'll search you first. Then, you can search me. Wait, I missed one of your spots. And, you missed one of my spots.

Don't need a second person, That's what the iphone selfie camera is for. Just make sure to delete the photos immediately after finishing the check.

[Dogwood]

Selfies are less fun.